a lieutenant and a midshipman into another ship bound to the
West Indies. The sixth lieutenant and this youngster were selected. About
four months afterwards the bill was sent to the rear-admiral for payment
of the dirk. It was naturally refused. Some months passed, when the bill
was again presented and refused. The poor mid was far away and not
forthcoming, although he fully intended, had he not been so suddenly
exiled, to pay it when he was able. The cutler now brought an action
against the rear-admiral, and he was, as he had put his name to the paper,
obliged to pay the account.

The shipwrights and carpenters having repaired the ship, she was hauled
alongside the hulk, and in ten days was as majestic as ever. Another
captain was appointed, and I was ordered to join the _Diamond_ frigate, as
first lieutenant, off Brest. I took an affectionate leave of my messmates,
and procured a passage on board a passage-sloop going to Plymouth. We
sailed in the evening, through the Needles passage, and when off the
Shingles the head of the mast went in the hounds. After much exertion we
got the main-sail out of the water, and the try-sail set. We reached, to
my great joy, Portland Roads on the third day, where, as I found myself
rather queerish on board the sloop, I salaamed the skipper of her, and
mounted a horse, which they assured me was quiet enough to carry the
parson. With this assurance, which was corroborated by three old men and
two young women, I trusted myself once more on a horse's back. A brother
officer, who was also going to join a ship at Plymouth, accompanied me. We
dined at Weymouth, saw Gloucester Lodge, had a somersault, to the terror
and astonishment of the lady housekeeper and servants, on all the
Princesses' beds, viewed the closet of odd-and-end old china belonging to
the amiable Princess Elizabeth, thought ourselves an inch taller when we
sat ourselves down in the chair in which the good King dined at one
o'clock, generally off a boiled leg of mutton and turnips, so we were
informed, and in the evening hired a post-chaise and arrived at
Dorchester, where we took the mail for Plymouth. On reaching the latter
place we repaired to the admiral's office, where, as there was no present
opportunity of joining my new ship, I remained five days, calling on my
old acquaintances and talking of old times.

One day we made an excursion to Plympton, and entered a neat farmer's
house. We inquired if we could be provided